Chapter Sixteen: The Aftermath
The journey in the Knight bus was a low key one. Harry had forced Hermione to eat from time to time. She ate very little and didn't talk at all. Having not slept the previous night she was very tired. She had just lain on her bed and before she knew it she was asleep. Harry saw this and felt relieved. He was afraid that she would fall sick out of weariness from not sleeping. He too closed his eyes and fell asleep. When he woke up Hermione was still asleep. They would be arriving at Hermione's place in another ten- fifteen minutes. So he gently woke her up. She quietly got her two bags out and they waited for their stop to arrive. When she saw her house she started crying. She refused to move. Harry waited a while before speaking to her.
'You want to go in Hermione, don't you?'
'No' she replied still crying. This was the first time she had said something after hearing the news. Harry didn't force her. Strangely he always knew the right thing to do in such a situation. He let her recover for ten minutes. Then he took her hand and started walking towards the house. She didn't resist. The house was full of people who had come to pay condolence visits. Not many of Hermione's relatives were there. They had been living outside the country for many years and had lost contact with their family. Her grandparents were dead long back. Neither of her parents had any brothers or sisters. Harry was afraid that Hermione would become the center of attention when she arrived. This was exactly what happened. Harry didn't like people pulling her into hugs and asking her all sorts of things. He politely requested them not to bother her as she was in no state to answer them. The bodies arrived in two hours after postmortem was complete. As expected Hermione burst into floods of tears on seeing them. In fact she was so shocked that she almost lost balance. Harry had to support her in his arms.
The night was again a bad one. Harry and Hermione sat next to the coffins all night. So obviously there was no sleep for them. The next morning the funeral took place. Only a small number of family friends along with Harry and Hermione went for the burial. When it was complete Hermione just sat there for what seemed like hours. Harry told her that she needed rest. So they walked back home. Again due to her tiredness Hermione slept. Harry sat on a sofa next to her and slept there. He didn't want to leave her side. The following morning the lawyers came. They transferred the house and all the money in the bank to Hermione's name as the will had stated. It was time for them to go back to Hogwarts. They again caught the Knight bus at 2:00 pm. By now Hermione seemed partially recovered.
'Harry, Thanks a lot for being with me during this time. I don't know how I would have coped with this without your support. I'm so sorry for not saying this before'
'It was nothing Hermione, compared to the loss you've suffered. As for your not saying I completely understand. Different people have different ways of dealing with such situations and if you chose not to talk that's perfectly fair' Harry replied.
Hermione was a little scared of facing everybody at school. She knew that they would ask questions which she didn't want to answer. Harry assured her that he would make sure nothing like this would happen. When they arrived at Hogwarts next morning they first went up to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore caught Harry's eye and didn't say anything to Hermione. He asked Harry about what had happened. The two were excused from classes that day. Harry asked Madame Pomfrey for some dreamless sleeping potion. He asked Hermione to take it. She drank it and went off to sleep. Harry himself was very tired. But he waited till all the Gryffindors were in the common room. He told all of them not to ask Hermione questions about her parents. He briefly told them what had happened. They all nodded. Without even having anything to eat he walked to his dormitory and went to sleep.
Within a week Hermione showed certain signs of recovery. She was able to talk with Harry and Ron. She tried to concentrate extra hard on her work to keep herself busy. Harry was with her all day and she appreciated his presence. There was one problem however which nobody had addressed yet. That was where Hermione was going to stay during the summer holidays. Ron offered Peaceden but Hermione refused. Hermione herself suggested her staying in Hogwarts. But Harry knew that it wouldn't work. Dumbledore confimed it when Harry asked him.
Finally one day Harry had a brainwave. He hoped that it would work. He first went to Hermione to ask her if she was okay with it.
'Hermione I think I know the perfect place for you to stay in the summers. It won't be very comfortable or anything but would suit you. You know Arabella Figg who is a squib staying near my place. You could stay with her and pay her a monthly fee for food and shelter. She's in contact with Dumbledore so you can convey any of your problems to him. I'll be there a few houses away so we can meet everyday', he said.
Hermione agreed with this. In this way she would not be imposing herself on anyone. But they still needed Mrs. Figg's approval. Harry and Hermione went to Dumbledore's office. They told him about the proposal. He also thought that it was a very good idea. He asked them to come with him to Mrs. Figg's house immediately. They traveled by a portkey. Dumbledore told Mrs. Figg about the idea. She considered and agreed. Then she herself had an idea.
'You can stay here for free if you teach me magic one or two hours a day', she said.
Hermione looked up at Harry before agreeing. So it was settled. Hermione would spend her summer holidays at Mrs. Figg's place. She would teach her magic and in turn would get food and shelter.
The journey in the Knight bus was a low key one. Harry had forced Hermione to eat from time to time. She ate very little and didn't talk at all. Having not slept the previous night she was very tired. She had just lain on her bed and before she knew it she was asleep. Harry saw this and felt relieved. He was afraid that she would fall sick out of weariness from not sleeping. He too closed his eyes and fell asleep. When he woke up Hermione was still asleep. They would be arriving at Hermione's place in another ten- fifteen minutes. So he gently woke her up. She quietly got her two bags out and they waited for their stop to arrive. When she saw her house she started crying. She refused to move. Harry waited a while before speaking to her.
'You want to go in Hermione, don't you?'
'No' she replied still crying. This was the first time she had said something after hearing the news. Harry didn't force her. Strangely he always knew the right thing to do in such a situation. He let her recover for ten minutes. Then he took her hand and started walking towards the house. She didn't resist. The house was full of people who had come to pay condolence visits. Not many of Hermione's relatives were there. They had been living outside the country for many years and had lost contact with their family. Her grandparents were dead long back. Neither of her parents had any brothers or sisters. Harry was afraid that Hermione would become the center of attention when she arrived. This was exactly what happened. Harry didn't like people pulling her into hugs and asking her all sorts of things. He politely requested them not to bother her as she was in no state to answer them. The bodies arrived in two hours after postmortem was complete. As expected Hermione burst into floods of tears on seeing them. In fact she was so shocked that she almost lost balance. Harry had to support her in his arms.
The night was again a bad one. Harry and Hermione sat next to the coffins all night. So obviously there was no sleep for them. The next morning the funeral took place. Only a small number of family friends along with Harry and Hermione went for the burial. When it was complete Hermione just sat there for what seemed like hours. Harry told her that she needed rest. So they walked back home. Again due to her tiredness Hermione slept. Harry sat on a sofa next to her and slept there. He didn't want to leave her side. The following morning the lawyers came. They transferred the house and all the money in the bank to Hermione's name as the will had stated. It was time for them to go back to Hogwarts. They again caught the Knight bus at 2:00 pm. By now Hermione seemed partially recovered.
'Harry, Thanks a lot for being with me during this time. I don't know how I would have coped with this without your support. I'm so sorry for not saying this before'
'It was nothing Hermione, compared to the loss you've suffered. As for your not saying I completely understand. Different people have different ways of dealing with such situations and if you chose not to talk that's perfectly fair' Harry replied.
Hermione was a little scared of facing everybody at school. She knew that they would ask questions which she didn't want to answer. Harry assured her that he would make sure nothing like this would happen. When they arrived at Hogwarts next morning they first went up to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore caught Harry's eye and didn't say anything to Hermione. He asked Harry about what had happened. The two were excused from classes that day. Harry asked Madame Pomfrey for some dreamless sleeping potion. He asked Hermione to take it. She drank it and went off to sleep. Harry himself was very tired. But he waited till all the Gryffindors were in the common room. He told all of them not to ask Hermione questions about her parents. He briefly told them what had happened. They all nodded. Without even having anything to eat he walked to his dormitory and went to sleep.
Within a week Hermione showed certain signs of recovery. She was able to talk with Harry and Ron. She tried to concentrate extra hard on her work to keep herself busy. Harry was with her all day and she appreciated his presence. There was one problem however which nobody had addressed yet. That was where Hermione was going to stay during the summer holidays. Ron offered Peaceden but Hermione refused. Hermione herself suggested her staying in Hogwarts. But Harry knew that it wouldn't work. Dumbledore confimed it when Harry asked him.
Finally one day Harry had a brainwave. He hoped that it would work. He first went to Hermione to ask her if she was okay with it.
'Hermione I think I know the perfect place for you to stay in the summers. It won't be very comfortable or anything but would suit you. You know Arabella Figg who is a squib staying near my place. You could stay with her and pay her a monthly fee for food and shelter. She's in contact with Dumbledore so you can convey any of your problems to him. I'll be there a few houses away so we can meet everyday', he said.
Hermione agreed with this. In this way she would not be imposing herself on anyone. But they still needed Mrs. Figg's approval. Harry and Hermione went to Dumbledore's office. They told him about the proposal. He also thought that it was a very good idea. He asked them to come with him to Mrs. Figg's house immediately. They traveled by a portkey. Dumbledore told Mrs. Figg about the idea. She considered and agreed. Then she herself had an idea.
'You can stay here for free if you teach me magic one or two hours a day', she said.
Hermione looked up at Harry before agreeing. So it was settled. Hermione would spend her summer holidays at Mrs. Figg's place. She would teach her magic and in turn would get food and shelter.